Former Dundalk Sporting Director secures huge job in Northern Irish Premiership

Former Dundalk FC manager and Sporting Director Jim Magilton has secured a major job in the Northern Irish Premiership having been appointed as the new manager of Cliftonville FC.

In a major shakeup for the famous Belfast based club, he becomes their first ever full time manager as they look to rejig the way they approach modern football.

Magilton was in Oriel Park during a time most Lilywhites fans want to forget. He was appointed as the club's Sporting Director in December 2020 by Peak6 and would last just under a year in the role.

It was a time of managerial turmoil, as Dundalk went through a series of coaching changes, from Filippo Giovagnoli to Shane Keegan, to a returning Vinny Perth, coupled with a short spell in the dugout for Magilton himself.

However just days after the local consortium took ownership of the club, the Belfast native was gone as they parted ways despite only being in year one of a four year contract. 

The Reds will be looking for a better return this year, having finished well off the pace in the race for the title. They finished fourth, 15 points behind champions Larne.

They had enjoyed a relatively successful time under manager Paddy McLaughlin, lifting the League Cup and pushing Linfield all the way in the league title race in the 2021/22 season.

However in April, he left the club to take up a position as assistant manager at his town club Derry City.

“It’s an honour to be appointed Manager of a great Club with such proud traditions,” Magilton said in statement announcing his arrival at Solitude.

“I’m very excited about the job and really looking forward to working with such a talented squad of players. A new Manager coming in will always cast a fresh pair of eyes over things, but Paddy McLaughlin did a wonderful job at Cliftonville and I want to build on the successes that he had."